Kristen Chung: A landfill full of egg cartons

The town of Cary has worked hard to be more sustainable. Residents are able to recycle many items, even old recycling bins. Yet we are not able to recycle perhaps the most ubiquitous household object: foam egg cartons.

The town of Cary has worked hard to be more sustainable. Residents are able to recycle many items, even old recycling bins. Yet we are not able to recycle perhaps the most ubiquitous household object: foam egg cartons.

The average American family uses 41 dozen egg cartons annually. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 2.3 million tons of Styrofoam ends up in landfills every year.

Even major retailers like Publix supermarket have taken up the responsibility of getting cartons out of the landfill by offering Styrofoam recycling in their stores. Other cities including Baltimore and Minneapolis allow residents to drop off Styrofoam at citizen's convenience centers. Cary could do the same.

The topic is especially relevant this time of year, around Easter and Earth Day. The town should not chicken out of the opportunity to be more environmentally responsible.